Control apparatus



March 12, 194-0. B QHAGAN 2,193,074 CONTROL APPARATUS Filed June 28, 1938 INVENTOR 139W OHagan. BY i K ATTORNEY Patented Ma. 12, 1940 UNITED STATES aware PATENT FFiCE 6 Claims. (01. 246-107) My invention relates to control apparatus, and is particularly well adapted for, but not limited to, controlling a device for recording the presence of vehicles. upon a selected stretch of 5 trackway.

An object of my invention is the provision of novel and improved means to control a device for recording the progress of vehicles along a stretch of trackway whereby the speed of such vehicles may be accurately determined and recorded. Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear as the specification progresses.

I I shall describe two forms of apparatus embodying my invention, and shall then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view showing oneform of apparatus embodying my invention when applied to meas- 20 uring the speed of trains. 'Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view showing a modified form of the apparatus shown in Fig. l and also embodying my invention. Fig. 3 is a view, partially diagrammatic, of a form of recording device that may 25 be usedwith my invention.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the several views.

Referring to Fig. l, the reference characters I and la designate the track rails of a stretch 0 of railway track X over which trafiic normally moves in a direction shown by an arrow. Located at selected points along track X are track instruments designated by the reference characters Ml and M2, so disposed as to be actuated 35 by trains passing along track X. Track instruments MI and M2 are preferably of the same form, and may be any one of the well-known types of track instruments provided with a normally closed contact which is operated to an 40 open position in response to a passing train,

such as, for example, the microphone type covered by United States Letters Patent 1,834,077 issued to A. J. Sorensen on December 1, '1931, or the mercury contact type covered by United 45 States Letters Patent 2,076,928 issued to H. G.

Witmer on April 13, 1937. Track instrument M2 is preferably spaced a known distance from track instrument Ml.

A normally energized stick relay R! is associ- 50 ated with track instrument MI, and is provided with a pick-up circuit passing from terminal B e of a suitable sourceof current, such as a battery not shown, through instrument Ml, the winding of relay RI and front contact 2 of a 55 relay SR, to bereferred to later, to terminal C of the current source; and with a stick circuit; passing from terminal B through instrument Ml, the winding of relay RI and front contact 3 of relay Rl to terminal C. Relay SR, referred to previously, is energized over a simple circuit in- 5.

cluding back contact 4 of relay RI, and preferably, relay SR is provided with slow releasing characteristics effected in part by a condenser 21 connected across thewinding of the relay. Relay SR is also preferably provided with slightly slow pick-up characteristics.

A normally deenergized control relay R2 is associated with instrument M2, and is provided with a pick-up circuit passing from terminal B through instrument M2, the winding of relay R2, back contact 5 of relay SR, and back con tact tiof relay Rl to terminal C; and with a stick circuit passing from terminal B through instrument M2, the winding of relay R2 and front contact I of relay R2 to terminal C.

The reference character RD indicates an electroresponsive device controlled by relay R2; While any desired type of electroresponsive device may be controlled by relay R2, in the particular embodiment of my invention chosen to serve as an illustration, the device RD is any one form of the usual and well-known types of recording devices capable of indicating and recording the period of time during which the device is energized. One form that recording device RD may take is shown in Fig. 3. Referring to Fig. 3, deviceRD as herein shown is provided with a tape 9 passing over rolls Ill, Ill. Tape 3 is unwound-from a roll ll onto a roll- 52 by means of a suitable mechanism, shown here as a motor l3 connected with roll !2 by a train of gears I4. Tape 9 is preferably provided with time divisions l5 corresponding to the rate at which the tape is moved by motor l3. Recorder RD is further provided witha magnet 16, 4g and a pivotally mounted member l1 biased by any suitable means such as, for example, a spring H! to a position away from the magnet. Rigidly attached to member I! is a stylus l9 which may, for example, be a pencil, andwhich pencil is adapted to trace a record on tape 9. The magnet l6 and member ll are so disposed that the pencil i9 is moved transversely across tape ,9 toward the magnet when the magnet is energized and away from the magnet to a normal position, as shown in the drawing, when the magnet is deenergized. As shown herein, magnet I6 is energized in multiple with motor l3, so that when magnet I6 is energized to attract stylus 19,

motor I3 is also energized to wind tape 9 upon stylus I9 during the period that recording device RD is energized, device RD being energized over a circuit passing from terminal B through front contact 8 of relay R2, wire 22, and recorder RD to terminal 0. It should be noted that stylus I 9 traces a straight line on tape 9 during the period that recorder RD is energized; and that the length of line traced by stylus IQ for any period of energization of recorder RD is defined by the transverse motion of stylus I9 across tape 9 at the start and termination of each period of energization of the recorder.

Having thus described various parts of apparatus of Fig. 1, I shall now explain their operation. I shall first assume that the apparatus is in its normal condition, as shown in Fig. 1. In this normal condition of the apparatus, that is to say, when no train is upon track X so that track instruments M I and M2 are not actuated, relay RI is energized, relays R2 and SR are deenergized, and recording device ED is also deenergized."

I shall now assume that a train, moving in the direction 'of normal trafiic along track X reaches the location of instrument MI. The actuation of that instrument opens the previously traced stick circuit for relay RI with the result that relay RI releases, thereby opening front contact 3 and closing back contacts 4- and 5. The closing of back contact 4 of relay RI completes the simple energizing circuit for relay SR. With relay RI released, closing back contact 6, and before relay SR picks up opening back contact 5, the previously traced pick-up circuit for relay R2 is completed so that relay R2 becomes energized to close front contacts I and 8. When contact 7 closes, the previously traced stick circuit for relay R2 is completed, and when contact 8 of relay R2 closes, recording device RD becomes energized so that magnet I6 attracts stylus I9, and motor I3 actuates roll l2 with'the result that tape it is wound on roll I2, and is moved past stylus It. Relay R2 is held energized by virtue of its stick circuit (the pick-up circuit for relay R2 being opened when back contact 5 of relay SR opens upon the picking up of relay SR) until the train reaches the location of track instru-' ment M2; and during this time interval, recorder RD is energized so that stylus I9 traces a straight line on tape 9. The actuation of instrument M2 opens the stick circuit for relay R2 with the result that relay R2 becomes released to open front contacts I and 8, the opening of the latter opening the energizing circuit for recorder RD so that magnet I6 becomes deenergized and permits stylus I9 to return to its original position by virtue of its spring bias, and motor II; becomes deenergized to terminate the movement of tape 9. It can be seen that stylus Ill records on tape 9 the interval of time between a train actuating instrument MI and instrument M2, and the length of line traced by stylus I9 records the period of energization of recorder RD. It follows that since the distance between instruments M I and M2 is known, the rate of speed of the train along track X may be readily and accurately determined.

\Vhen the train completely passes instrument Mi, relay RI becomes energized over its pickup circuit, and relay SR becomes deenergized. Then, when the train completely passes instrument M2, the apparatus is restored to its normal condition.

It should be noted that relay SR is preferably A provided with slow releasing characteristics, so that a second operation of recorder RD will not be eiiected in the event a slow moving train is positioned along track X so as to actuate both track instruments MI and M2 simultaneously. Relay SR is preferablyprovided with slow rel asing characteristics of an order longer than the intervals between the actuation of instrument MI by the successive wheels of a slow moving train, so that an intermittent actuation of instruments M I and M2 due to a very slow passage of a train along track X which may cause only intermittent energization of relay SR, does not result in the release of relay SR and the reestablishment of the pick-up circuit for relay R2.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the apparatus of Fig. 2 is the same as the apparatus of Fig. 1 except that a slow pick-up relay SP is added, relay SP being energized over a simple circuit including back contact l of relay RI, and the pick-up circuit for relay RI being carried over a front contact of relay SP; the pick-up circuit for relay I Rt passing from terminal B through instrument It is obvious that the addition of relay SP does not alter 1e operation of the recorder RD as described in detail in connection with Fig. l, relay SP being added to-iurther insure that double operation of I'GCOIdBY RD is not eiiected by a single train. It can be seen that a train, actuating instruments MI and M2 intermittently due to a very slow passage along track X, will not cause a'double operation of device RD since relay RI once released cannot be reenergized until relay SP picks up at the end of its slow pickup period and relay SR is not deenergized until relay RI is picked up. Thus the slow pick-up period of relay SP is added to the slow release period of relay SR before the pick-up circuit for relay R2 is completed with the result that a second operation of recorder RD because of intermittent operation of track instruments MI and M2 is a remote possibility. I

It is to be understood, of course, that while herein described, apparatus embodying my invention is employed for controlling a device for recording the progress of trains along a railway track, the scope of my invention is in no way restricted to recording devices; and that the scope of my invention embraces the control of any suitable electroresponsive device.

Although I have herein shown and described only two forms of apparatus embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination, a stretch of railway track provided with a first and a second track instrument each having a normally closed contact op-. erable to an open position in response to a passing train, a first relay, a slow releasing relay, a pick-up circuit for said first relay serially including the contact of said first track instrument and a front contact of said slow releasing relay, a stick circuit for said first relay including the contact of said first'track instrument, an energizing circuit for said slow releasing relay including a back contact of said first relay, a control relay; a pick-up circuit for said control including the contact of said second track instrument, and a control circuit including a front contact of said control relay.

2. Apparatus for recording the arrival of trains fat selected points along a stretch of railway comprising, in combination, a stretch of railway track provided with a first track instrument located at a first selected point along said stretch and a second track instrument located at a second selected point along said stretch, each said track instrument havinga normally closed contact operable to an open position in response to a passing train, a slow releasing relay, a first stick relay, an energizing circuit for said slow releasing relay including a back contact of said first stick relay, a pick-up circuit for said first stick relay serially including the contact of said first track instrument and a front contact of said slow releasing relay, a stick circuit for said first stick relay including the contact of said first track in strument, a second stick relay; a pick-up circuit for said second stick relay serially including the contact of said second track instrument, a back.

contact of said slow releasing relay and a back contact of said first stick relay; a stick circuit for said second stick relay including the contact of said second track instrument, a recording device, and an energizing circuit for said device including a front contactv of said second stick relay.

3. Apparatus for recording the arrival of trains at selected points along a stretch of railway track comprising, in combination, a stretch of railway track provided with a first track instrument located at a first selected point along said stretch and a second track instrument located at a second selected point along said stretch and each track instrument having a normally closed con tact operable to an open position in response to a passing train, a slow pick-up relay, a first stick relay, an energizing circuit for said slow pick-up relay including a back contact of said first stick relay, a pick-up circuit for said first stick relay serially including the contact of said first track,

instrument and a front contact of said slow pickup relay, a stick circuit for said first stick relay including the contact of said first track instrument, a slow releasing relay, an energizing circuit for said slow releasing relay including a back contact of said first stick relay, a second stick relay; a pick-up circuit for said second stick relay serially including the contact of said second track instrument, a back contact of said slow releasing relay and a back contact of said first stick relay;

a stick circuit for said second stick relay includ ind the contact of said second track instrument, a recording device,and an energizing circuit for said device governed by said second stick relay.

4. In combination, a stretch of railway track provided with a first and a second track instrument, said track instruments located spaced apart along said stretch and each having a normally closed contact operable'to an open position in re sponse to actuation by a train, a first relay, an energizing circuit for said first relay including the contact of said first track instrument, a slow acting relay, an energizing circuit'ior said. slow acting relay controlled by a back contact of said first relay, a control relay, a pick-up circuit for said control relay controlled jointly by the contact of said second track instrument and by a back contactof said slow acting relay, a stick circuit iorsaid control relay controlled by the contact of said second track instrument, and a circuit governed by said control relay for energizing an electroresponsive device. 3

5. In combination, a stretch of railway track provided with a first and a second track instru-. ment each having a normally closed contact operable to an open position in response to a passing train, afirst relay energized over a circuit including the contact of said first track instrument,

, a slow releasing relay energized over a circuit including a back contactof said first relay, a control relay; a pick-up circuit for said control relay serially including the contact of said second track instrument, aback contact of said slow releasing relay, and a back'contact of said first relay; a stick circuit for said control relay including the contact of said second track instrument, and a control circuit governed by said control relay.

6. In combination, a stretch of railway track over which trafiic normally operates in a given direction, a first and a second track instrument located at spaced points along said stretch and each instrument being provided with a normally closed contact which is operated to an open position in response to passing trains, said instruments being so located that said first instrument gized over a circuit including the contact of said first instrument, a second relay provided with a pick-up and a stick circuit each being governed by the contact of said second instrument, means governed by said first relay for momentarily establishing said pick-up circuit for said second relay when said first instrument is actuated by a train, and a control circuit for an electroresponsive device governed by said second relay.

BERNARD E. OI-IAGAN. 

